A critical component of managing and monitoring the progress of the program includes the consortium’s steering committee. These dedicated individuals are prepared to develop and deliver expert advice and guidance to the core team. The seven-member Steering Committee, which includes NIMHD representation from the Program Official Dr. Nathaniel Stinson and the Project Scientist Dr. Derrick Tabor will provide oversight, advice, and guidance to the project. An Advisory Group of policy partners and a consortium of county and state-wide health, medical, and academic organizations will be established in Year 4 to augment and support the efforts of the Steering Committee.
Dr. Elmer E. Huerta
Dr. Thomas A. LaVeist
Dr. Vivian Pinn
Dr. Thomas A. LaVeist
Dr. Thomas LaVeist is chairman of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health. Dr. LaVeist’s research and writing has focused on the social and behavioral factors that predict the timing of various related health outcomes (e.g. access and utilization of health services, mortality, entrance into nursing home, the social and behavioral factors that explain race differences in health outcomes) and the impact of social policy on the health and quality of life of African Americans. His work has included both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Dr. LaVeist seeks to develop an orienting framework in the development of policy and interventions to address racial disparities in health-related outcomes. Specific areas of expertise include: U.S. health and social policy, the role of race in health research, social factors contributing to mortality, longevity and life expectancy, quantitative and demographic analysis, and access and utilization of health services. He received his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 1984 then went on to received his PhD at the University of Michigan in 1988. Dr. LaVeist has received many honors and awards throughout the span of his career. He was elected into the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Science in 2013.
Dr. Vivian Pinn
In her role as director of the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Vivian Pinn ensured that women’s health issues and women were well-represented in NIH research efforts. Her work at ORWH was the culmination of a lifelong focus on medicine and advocacy for access to good health care for everyone.
Before coming to NIH, Dr. Pinn was professor and chair of the Department of Pathology at Howard University College of Medicine. Previously, she held teaching appointments at Tufts University and Harvard Medical School. At Tufts she was assistant dean for student affairs and an advocate for minority students.
Fueled by her deep loss of her mother, Dr. Pinn was determined to become a doctor and her family supported her dream. She earned a scholarship to Wellesley College – a women’s college with a supportive environment, graduated in 1962 and enrolled in medical school at the University of Virginia, doubly distinguished as the only African-American and only woman in her class.
While Pinn intended to become a pediatrician, during a summer internship at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, she developed a passion for research. Her philosophy then and now is not to let obstacles, no matter how great, stand in the way of accomplishing your goals and to do this, you have to be intellectually prepared and dedicated.
The recipient of numerous awards and honors, Dr. Pinn is past president of the National Medical Association. She received the Elizabeth Blackwell Award from the American Medical Women’s Association, in 1995, the year she was elected to the National Academies of Science Institute of Medicine. Dr. Pinn is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Elmer E. Huerta
Dr. Elmer E. Huerta is Director of the Cancer Preventorium, a division of the Washington Cancer Institute at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Dr. Huerta is a Director at the American Legacy Foundation and a past president of the American Cancer Society. He has 20 years of experience in patient care and education, and he is nationally and internationally recognized for his achievements in using the media to educate the Latino community. Dr. Huerta hosts “Cuidando su Salud” (Taking Care of Your Health), the only nationally syndicated daily radio show that is hosted and produced by a Latino physician in the United States. He also co-hosts “Hablemos de Salud” (Let’s Talk About Health), a nationally syndicated weekly television program on health promotion and disease prevention. Dr. Huerta is president and founder of Prevención, Inc., a non-profit organization that produces and disseminates health educational material for the Latino community. Dr. Huerta is a member of the national board of directors of the American Cancer Society and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. He was also appointed by President Clinton to the National Cancer Advisory Board.